Dental hygienists are a community of professionals devoted to the prevention of disease and the promotion and improvement of the public's health. Dental hygienists are also preventive oral health professionals who provide educational, clinical, and therapeutic services to the public. See related Consumer Education Guest Editorial from Margaret.

Want to get really ready for your next appointment with your dental hygienist? Then see these timely articles from the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA):

Want to know the science behind the oral/systemic links? The latest and easily-available edition of

Periodontal Disease and Overall Health: A Clinician’s Guide(ed 2) provides the latest information and clinical studies pertaining to the oral systemic relationship and is specifically directed at understanding how periodontal (gum) disease might affect distant sites and organs, therefore having an effect on overall systemic health. Thus there are many studies now showing the relationship between oral diseases and systemic diseases and the emphasis co-management of patients for the best oral and systemic health. See all the latest articles

concerning this timely topic~

Want to know why your dental hygienist is so concerned about your head and neck, as well as the mouth? See also Margaret's recent contribution to a textbook concerning clinical assessment to understand why your dental hygienist is concerned about your overall health and how it can impact your oral health (scroll to pages 195-222, Chapter 16, Darby and Walsh Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice, ed 5, Bowen and Pieren, 2020).WILL NEED TO SIGN IN TO SCROLL TO SECTION

Information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient or site visitor and his or her existing physician or dentist. This production group will not give out any medical or dental advice online since we have been advised the following: "If you establish a patient-provider relationship with an online participant, you owe that person a duty of care. If such a relationship exists and the participant is harmed because of the advice you provided, he or she could sue you claiming that you did not meet the standard of care. And because you acted outside the scope of your employment-you provided health-related advice while off-duty-your malpractice insurance might not cover you. Depending on state law, you also may put your license at risk if you provide health-related advice to a participant who lives in a state where you do not hold a license, or if your advice does not fall within the scope of your practice.